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10,000 B.C.

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Rent 10,000 B.C. on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video.

What to Know

With attention strictly paid to style instead of substance, or historical accuracy, 10,000 B.C. is a visually impressive but narratively flimsy epic.

Critics Reviews

Audience reviews, cast & crew.

Roland Emmerich

Steven Strait

Camilla Belle

Cliff Curtis

Tic'Tic

Joel Virgel

Afif Ben Badra

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Movie Review | '10,000 BC'

Human Civilization: The Prequel

By A.O. Scott

• March 7, 2008

“Only time can teach us what is truth and what is legend.” This bit of fake-folk wisdom commences the voice-over narration of “10,000 BC,” and the more you think about it, the more preposterous it seems. If anything, time confuses the issue. But it’s best not to think too hard about anything in this sublimely dunderheaded excursion into human prehistory, directed by Roland Emmerich from a script he wrote with Harald Kloser, who also helped compose, using his better ear, the musical score.

Mr. Emmerich has made something of a specialty in staging — with maximal bombast and minimal coherence — end-of-the-world scenarios. (See “Independence Day” and “The Day After Tomorrow,” though not on the same day if you can help it.) In the context of his oeuvre “10,000 BC” might be thought of as a kind of prequel, an attempt to imagine human civilization not on the brink of its end, but somewhere near its beginning.

Yet even as the story begins, the old ways seem to be dying out, as the Yagahl, a tribe of snuffleupagus hunters who favor extensions in their hair and eschew contractions in their speech, prepare for their last hunt. In fulfillment of an old prophecy, raiders on horseback (“four-legged demons”) arrive to sack the Yagahl encampment and take a bunch of the tribespeople as slaves. Among them is the blue-eyed Evolet (Camilla Belle), whose beloved, D’Leh (Steven Strait), sets out with his mentor, Tic’Tic (Cliff Curtis), to rescue her.

Along the way D’Leh and Tic’Tic have many adventures, involving bizarrely costumed humans and computer-generated creatures, among them a scary race of flesh-eating swamp ostriches. These reminded me of nothing so much as the angry chicken, designed by the stop-action maestro Ray Harryhausen, that menaces some castaways in Cy Endfield’s 1961 curio “Mysterious Island.” And at its best — which may also be to say at its worst — “10,000 BC” feels like a throwback to an ancient, if not exactly prehistoric, style of filmmaking. The wooden acting, the bad dialogue, the extravagantly illogical special effects may well, in time, look pleasingly cheap and hokey, at which point the true entertainment value of the film will at last be realized.

Meanwhile back in the present, there is an awful lot of high-toned mumbo-jumbo to sit through. On his journey D’Leh (it’s pronounced “delay,” though most of the time he’s in a pretty big hurry) gathers a multicultural army to oppose the pyramid-building, slaveholding empire that has been bothering the more peaceful agrarian and hunter-gatherer tribes. These decadent priests seem like a curious hybrid of the Egyptians in “King of Egypt” and the Maya from “Apocalypto.” To reach them D’Leh travels overland from his home on the Siberian steppes through the jungles of Southeast Asia to the grasslands of Africa. But back then I guess it was all Gondwana, so the trip was easier.

Other movies D’Leh (or rather Mr. Emmerich) makes his way through include “The Searchers” and “Ice Age,” though nothing in “10,000 BC” approaches the poetry of the scrambling squirrel and his errant acorn in “Ice Age.” Still, it is a mercy that the tigers and the other creatures don’t talk. It would be more of a mercy if the human characters, especially that narrator, observed similar discretion.

But the big, climactic fight, complete with an epic snuffleupagus rampage, is decent action-movie fun. And as a history lesson, “10,000 BC” has its value. It explains just how we came to be the tolerant, peace-loving farmers we are today, and why the pyramids were never finished.

“10,000 B.C.” is rated PG-13 (Parents strongly cautioned). It has a lot of violence, none of it terribly grisly.

Opens on Friday nationwide.

Directed by Roland Emmerich; written by Mr. Emmerich and Harald Kloser; director of photography, Ueli Steiger; edited by Alexander Berner; music by Mr. Kloser and Thomas Wander; production designer, Jean-Vincent Puzos; produced by Michael Wimer, Mr. Emmerich and Mark Gordon; released by Warner Brothers Pictures. Running time: 1 hour 49 minutes.

WITH: Camilla Belle (Evolet), Steven Strait (D’Leh) and Cliff Curtis (Tic’Tic).

• Cast & crew
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Metacritic reviews

• 75 Chicago Tribune Michael Phillips Chicago Tribune Michael Phillips Emmerich has no time for poetry or magic, even when the director and his digital wizards (here doing wildly variable work) are trying to dazzle. He’s a taskmaster and a field marshall, not a visionary. But I enjoyed 10,000 B.C. more and more, and more than just about anything Emmerich’s done before.
• 70 The Hollywood Reporter Kirk Honeycutt The Hollywood Reporter Kirk Honeycutt As one might expect, there are campy moments and far too much reliance on God-like interventions in the affairs of early man. Less expected is that 10,000 BC works just fine as an action Western with handsome actors in striking costumes and a few CG predators, which are giddy fun.
• 63 TV Guide Magazine Ken Fox TV Guide Magazine Ken Fox Too dumb to take seriously, but just silly enough to be sort of fun.
• 50 The New York Times A.O. Scott The New York Times A.O. Scott The big, climactic fight, complete with an epic snuffleupagus rampage, is decent action-movie fun. And as a history lesson, 10,000 BC has its value. It explains just how we came to be the tolerant, peace-loving farmers we are today, and why the pyramids were never finished.
• 42 The A.V. Club Keith Phipps The A.V. Club Keith Phipps "The Day After Tomorrow" was kind of stupidly fun, and 10,000 B.C. might be too, if it weren't so stupidly dull.
• 40 Variety Todd McCarthy Variety Todd McCarthy Conventional where it should be bold and mild where it should be wild, 10,000 BC reps a missed opportunity to present an imaginative vision of a prehistoric moment.
• 38 The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Liam Lacey The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Liam Lacey If you thought "300" was silly, think of 10,000 BC as 33.333 times sillier.
• 38 USA Today Claudia Puig USA Today Claudia Puig Within a few minutes into the ponderous prehistoric pseudo-epic that is 10,000 B.C., you find yourself longing for George of the Jungle to crash into a tree or the Geico cavemen to amble up and put an end to the droning seriousness of this tedious tale.
• 38 ReelViews James Berardinelli ReelViews James Berardinelli One doesn't expect intelligent scripting or deep characterization from Roland Emmerich, but the film's lack of energy, poor special effects, and monotonous pacing lead to an inescapable conclusion: 10,000 B.C. isn't only brain-dead, it's COMPLETELY dead. It's inert and without a heartbeat.
• 20 Slate Slate In terms of character development, wit, and simple curiosity, it's dumber than a Neanderthal.
• See all 29 reviews on Metacritic.com
• See all external reviews for 10,000 BC

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10,000 BC Review

14 Mar 2008

108 minutes

You have to hand it to him, Roland Emmerich thinks big. After the sci-fi extravaganzas Stargate and Independence Day, the historical epic The Patriot and the environmental disaster flick The Day After Tomorrow, he has set out to create his own mythology, no less. 10,000 BC embroiders the classic coming-of-age, boy-with-a-heroic-destiny legends and lore told around camp fires for millennia with straight-faced, pretentiously sober spirituality, made-up mysticism and reams of voiceover narration (from Omar Sharif). A fiercely good looking, inventively-clad cast interact among dizzying layers of CGI, visual and sound effects to make a preposterous prehistoric adventure quest that is undeniably spectacular. You can feel the earth and your teeth shake, rattle and roll when the mighty herds of massive woolly mamoths stampede through the dwarfed company of vulnerable but athletic spear carriers.

What is more embarrassingly enjoyable, guilty fun is the brash daftness run rampant. You can laugh at, but still dote on, the invented culture, ritual and poetic utterances (a dying warrior serenely says “I am full of days.”) of the plucky Stone Agers, who are, of course, highly attuned to the spirit world, signs and portents, and the forces of earth and the heavens.

The Yagahl tribe (a hunky, dreadlocked lot in hide breeches and clay face packs) revere a crone called Old Mother. She crouches in her hide and bone lean-to speaking to the spirits and going into telepathic trances, suffering shakes and nosebleeds linked to the faraway travails befalling D’Leh (sincere, sinewy Steven Strait) and his handful of companions on their arduous trek on the trail of horse-riding, ship-sailing slavers to a lost civilization of proto-Egyptian meanies. It all takes place in a sort of imaginary Africa, by way of the Alps.

The Yagahl don’t think much of D’Leh, something of an angst-ridden misfit who has father issues since the disappearance of his own, the leader of the tribe, who seemingly abandoned his people long ago. That’s one mystery that will be solved far, far away and many moons later. When his true love is snatched, however, D’leh resolves to rescue her, accompanied by his sympathetic, sage mentor Tic’Tic (Cliff Curtis), a cheeky boy follower, Baku (British teen Nathanael Baring) and a hot-headed rival for Evelet. And somewhere along the way he grows into a heroic leader of men.

They don’t have a lot to work with, but one is struck by the quality of our heroes’ rough-hewn footwear, which carries D’Leh and his fellowship from freezing mountain tops down into a Pleistocene jungle (where they are beset by 'Terror Birds', killer critters which look, unintentionally hilariously, much like gigantic, enraged ostrich chicks) and across the searing sands of a vast desert (and, eventually, back again.). They rack up more miles than Frodo, in a fraction of the time.

En route D’Leh bonds with a sabre-toothed tiger (it’s a prophetic sign) like Androcles did with the Lion; invents celestial navigation after wandering lost in the desert like Moses; discovers Agriculture (which will come in very handy for future survival, given the background of climate change) and gathers to himself an impressive variety of beleaguered tribal peoples -- of many tongues, many skin tones and helpfully colour-coded costumery with excellent accessories -- as he goes, creating an army for a terrific climactic uprising at the end of the world.

Needless to say, Emmerich and like-minded collaborator, co-writer, producer and co-composer Harald Kloser’s vision of things neolithic will have anthropologists, archaeologists and paleontologists rolling in the aisles. Documentary-drama realism this is not. But in its peregrinations from high-altitude camp fire to sophisticated pre-Pharaonic city (where harnessed mammoths helpfully toting the heavy loads offer a startling new hypothesis on how the pyramids were built) this opus happily and shamelessly plucks popular notions from every caveman and loincloth saga ever, from One Million Years B.C. to Apocalypto. There are also touches of Lord Of The Rings, The Thirteenth Warrior and all the spiffing silent screen role models of young men finding their courage and ingenuity; abducted heroines (Belle, although not, alas, given a fur bikini, is a good, comely one; and dastardly, decadent exotic fiends for villains, with terrifyingly long fake fingernails and a taste for human sacrifice. And all this without any nudity, profanity or visceral brutality! It’s really rather sweet.

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• DVD & Streaming
• Action/Adventure , Drama

Content Caution

In Theaters

• Steven Strait as D'Leh; Camilla Belle as Evolet; Cliff Curtis as Tic'Tic; Nathanael Baring as Baku

Home Release Date

• Roland Emmerich

Distributor

• Warner Bros.

Movie Review

Let’s face it: We whine a lot.

We whine when our alarm clocks fritz out. We whine when we have dental appointments. We whine when our favorite coffee stand runs out of hazelnut espresso. What we don’t whine about is how poorly the mammoth hunts have been going lately.

In truth, D’Leh doesn’t whine about that either—even though the woolly mammoths aren’t coming around as much anymore. That’s bad news, because D’Leh and his people, the Yagahl, rely on these beasts for pretty much everything. They eat ’em. They wear their hides. They build huts out of their bones. They make mammoth-related jewelry. One might say the Yagahl are in a mammoth rut.

D’Leh has other problems, too. For one thing, his pappy deserted the tribe several years before—a shameful no-no in the Yagahl’s tight little community. For another, he’s quite fond of a pretty, adopted interloper named Evolet. But Evolet, with her blue eyes, straight teeth and nice mop of dreadlocks, is the Yagahl’s “it” girl who’s likely to be the main squeeze for the tribe’s best mammoth hunter. And that, everyone assumes, won’t be D’Leh.

Things seem to take a fortunate, perhaps preordained, turn when a huge mammoth stumbles into D’Leh’s spear and promptly dies, giving D’Leh newfound status as a burly, he-man hunter and the right to “take” the girl of his choosing. But D’Leh is too honest to let an accident propel him to so much tribal power. With a heavy heart (and a little encouragement) he rejects all his mammoth-hunting rights and resigns himself to continuing Yagahl obscurity—much to Evolet’s dismay.

That very evening, “four-legged demons” (riders on horseback) raid the Yagahl’s encampment, kidnapping Evolet and several other unfortunate souls. D’Leh watches as his one true love—along with several of his friends—are carted off into the snowy wilds. If ever there was a time to whine, it’d be now, right?

D’Leh decides instead to pursue them. And neither cold nor heat nor saber-toothed tigers nor man-eating ostriches nor a lack of the invention of hazelnut espresso will stop him from completing his all-important quest.

Positive Elements

D’Leh may be a bit of a fifth wheel in the Yagahl, but he treats his tribemates with respect, and Evolet with care and gentleness. He adheres unwaveringly to the moral ethos of the tribe: When Evolet suggests the two of them run off together, D’Leh smacks down the idea. “And abandon my people, like my father?” he says. And, as we’ve already discussed, he refuses to let an accident of fate give him tribal perks. Granted, he gets a little prodding from Tic’Tic, a wise elder and friend, who tells him, “It’s not the way to claim the white spear with a lie.”

But D’Leh’s character is only truly revealed when Yagahl life is turned upside down. During the course of his epic trek to save Evolet, he a) rescues the girl from the embrace of one of her lecherous captors; b) leads a pack of horrific, man-eating birds away from Evolet and other captives; c) drags a wounded cohort through a burning, waterless desert on a makeshift stretcher; d) saves a saber-toothed tiger from a watery death; and, of course, e) becomes an inspiring leader of men. He’s the kind of honest, forthright guy who might make a pretty good president if a) he showered more and b) presidential duties involved dealing with man-eating birds and saber-toothed tigers. (And some would say that they do.)

But really, all the Yagahl adhere to the same general code of honor. As D’Leh points out, the Yagahl are able to take down the mightiest of animals (that’d be the mammoth) because they “hunt together as one.” And, indeed, all of D’Leh’s compatriots are all about teamwork. [ Spoiler Warning ] One of D’Leh’s onetime rivals makes the ultimate sacrifice at the end of the film. The Yagahl’s resident shamanist leader (referenced as “Old Mother”) makes a similar sacrifice.

Spiritual Elements

Two things are worth commenting on at the outset: First, if one takes the film’s title literally, 10,000 BC takes place a good 10,000 years before, well, Christ, and several thousand years before even Abraham was walking around. So the film doesn’t deal much with Judeo-Christian themes. Second, though the film takes place in prehistoric times, complete with prehistoric animals, the subject of evolution is not dealt with.

That said, spiritualism runs amok.

“There are legends and prophesies along with all the visceral elements,” says Cliff Curtis, who plays Tic’Tic. “There are predatory terror birds and saber-toothed tigers, and, of course, the mammoths, but the story also has a spiritual undertone to it, and I think that is the glue that holds it together.”

The Yagahl appear to adhere to some form of ancestor worship, and there are several allusions to “fathers” leading them. The fathers also zap Old Mother with visions of the future. When D’Leh and Evolet were just children, she prophesied that Evolet and her beau (who winds up being, of course, D’Leh) would lead the Yagahl to a new life “where the Yagahl will know hunger no more” and foresaw the raid of the “four-legged demons.”

D’Leh turns out to be a player in other prophecies too. One tribe he encounters believes that a man who talks to a “speartooth” will lead them in war against their oppressors. Fortunately for D’Leh, he just happened to save a saber-toothed tiger the night before he stumbles across the tribe. And it just so happens that the same tiger wanders into camp just as the tribe is about to poke D’Leh full of spear holes. The tribe gives the tiger a wide berth, but D’Leh—already on the ground—says, “You do remember me, don’t you?”

Evolet’s kidnappers and the tribe’s oppressors are one and the same—an advanced, pyramid-building race which has its own prophecy. These people believe their civilization will crumble if someone comes to town bearing the mark of a certain constellation of stars. As it happens, Evolet was whipped with a cat-o’-nine-tails sort of thing on the way to the city, and the scars on her hands match the pattern of the constellation.

These pyramid-builders—really not nice people at all—worship a living “god,” actually a tall, very old mortal whose face is always shielded from his people by films of silk and such. We’re told that, originally, there were three “gods,” and he’s the only one who’s left. An entire priesthood has been built around this untouchable, unseeable fellow, and whatever this “god” says, goes. When he feels as though his slaves are slacking off in their pyramid building, he orders one of them to be sacrificed—and one is immediately tossed off a pyramid ledge. He’s regarded with fearful awe, and D’Leh is told to not expect help from his slaves because, “Men cannot bring down gods.”

[ Spoiler Warning ] Old Mother psychically goes on the quest with D’Leh. And she apparently gives her last breath of life to Evolet, when the younger woman is fatally struck by an arrow. D’Leh, the man of action that he is, winds up killing the city’s ruler with a spear. “He is not a god!” he shouts, and the revolution commences.

Also, Evolet is sometimes called a “witch,” though she does not cast any spells.

Sexual Content

Evolet is clearly an object of desire among her captors. One makes moves on her as if he’d like to rape her. (D’Leh rescues her.) The slave-trading leader eventually buys her “freedom,” he tells her, though that freedom clearly amounts to trading a life hauling stones for a life as his sex kitten. That said, their “relationship” never comes close to being consummated.

An exaggerated imitation smooch performed by a captive tribesman is pretty much as far as things go when it comes to talking about D’Leh and Evolet’s love life. As for “native” dress codes, everyone’s relatively well-covered. Some men walk around bare-chested and women sometimes saunter about bare-shouldered.

Violent Content

There is carnage and peril aplenty in 10,000 BC From the early-movie mammoth hunt to the climactic war in the desert, action takes center stage.

Spears are the weapons of mass destruction here, with warriors using them to dispatch mammoths, men and man-eating birds with equal aplomb. We see one 10-foot tall bird get stabbed in the mouth. We see an impaled mammoth. One or two men are skewered, and we see the spear go in one side and out the other.

But there were evidently other ways than that to die in 10,000 BC, and none were particularly pleasant. Arrows were one. And audiences see warriors smack their opponents with hammers. Huge, ostrich-like creatures kill and eat men, mealtime often hidden by a convenient veil of grass. Mammoths fling their trunks and stomp their feet with abandon, occasionally smiting or squishing folks who get in their way. For his part, D’Leh nearly gets smothered by a collapsed mammoth, which would seem to me to be a particularly ignoble and smelly way to die. Several Yagahl are dragged through the tundra by a mammoth, and they’re sometimes thrown clear and tumble into rocks. People are hurled off pyramids. One guard has his neck broken.

A man falls crotch-first onto a tree branch. D’Leh cauterizes a compatriot’s wound by way of a burning branch. Slaves are regularly smacked around, most often by nasty whips. Evolet is scarred when the slave driver whips her hands mercilessly. (We rarely see the blows fall.) One captive is nearly strangled to death by one of his overlords. The god-king threatens to literally pull another slave apart.

Of note: For all the wanton death and violence, there is remarkably little literal bloodshed. Characters are stabbed and impaled with some regularity, and the body count is high enough to make Rambo wish he’d lived 12,000 years earlier. But the gore-factor is relatively light.

Crude or Profane Language

None. The English language had not, apparently, evolved enough by 10,000 BC to include f-words, s-words or other bits of offensive banter. And yes, almost everybody seems to have spoken English back then.

Drug and Alcohol Content

Cigarettes and whiskey were still millennia in the offing, too. Everyone, including the vision-prone Old Mother, is stone-cold sober throughout.

Other Negative Elements

When a warrior crawls through a herd of mammoths, we hear much noise emanating from the huge creatures—some of which may or may not be the sounds your average 13-year-old would recognize as flatulence. D’Leh and Tic’Tic take food from an apparently deserted village—only the village turns out not to be so deserted.

10,000 BC is, if I may say so, ahead of its time when it comes to morality. There are problems. Violence is ubiquitous. And the film emphasizes pre-Abrahamic spirituality. But while the Yagahl may not credit their sense of morality to the Christian God, they do adhere to forms of what we now know to be godly morality with clarity and unwavering vigor. And it’s that sense of morality—honor, loyalty, teamwork—that forms the bedrock of their hardscrabble society.

Let’s not make too much of this, though. 10,000 BC is, at its heart, an action-adventure popcorn flick about, um, people who hadn’t invented popcorn yet. It might be good for a diversion but it’ll never do as fodder for long, espresso-house discussions. That said, it does suggest that civilization is only possible through a shared sense of ethical, moral behavior. And in our whiny, postmodern society, circa 2,000 A.D., that’s not a bad lesson to learn.

Paul Asay has been part of the Plugged In staff since 2007, watching and reviewing roughly 15 quintillion movies and television shows. He’s written for a number of other publications, too, including Time, The Washington Post and Christianity Today. The author of several books, Paul loves to find spirituality in unexpected places, including popular entertainment, and he loves all things superhero. His vices include James Bond films, Mountain Dew and terrible B-grade movies. He’s married, has two children and a neurotic dog, runs marathons on occasion and hopes to someday own his own tuxedo. Feel free to follow him on Twitter @AsayPaul.

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10,000 b.c..

The movie's title is "10,000 B.C.," but its characters and story line hark back to the first two decades of the last century, the era of D.W. Griffith. You have an outcast and an orphan, a boy who needs to become a man, a girl who needs rescuing, evil slave traders, noble savages and a revolt of the suffering masses.

By Kirk Honeycutt , The Associated Press March 6, 2008 8:00pm

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The movie’s title is “10,000 B.C.,” but its characters and story line hark back to the first two decades of the last century, the era of D.W. Griffith. You have an outcast and an orphan, a boy who needs to become a man, a girl who needs rescuing, evil slave traders, noble savages and a revolt of the suffering masses.

What is new here, of course, is a state-of-the-art production in three countries plus CGI and other visual effects that place everything in a fictitious prehistoric world. Director Roland Emmerich and his cohorts pretty much make this up since 10,000 B.C. extends far beyond any archeological discoveries.

As one might expect, there are campy moments and far too much reliance on God-like interventions in the affairs of early man. Less expected is that “10,000 BC” works just fine as an action Western with handsome actors in striking costumes and a few CG predators, which are giddy fun.

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The story begins among a remote mountain tribe, who are white, speak English and hunt mammoths. Except that those woolly beasts are descending into their snowy valley with greater infrequency because of, yes, climate change.

A prophecy by its spiritual leader, Old Mother (Mona Hammond), lays out all three acts: Four-legged demons — slave traders on horses — will raid the village and capture many young people, including the beautiful orphan girl Evolet (Camilla Belle), who caught the eye of young hunter D’Leh (Steven Strait) when she was a child.

His pursuit of her and her captors along with his mentor Tic Tic (Cliff Curtis) and the very young Baku (Nathanael Baring) will turn him into a warrior and galvanize other tribes to join in the quest to overthrow an evil civilization and religion that has enslaved so many people.

Getting to the riverside home of this Aztec-like civilization, intent on building pyramids through slavery and human sacrifice, is half the fun. En route, D’Leh — pronounced Delay — and his gang encounter fierce beasts such as a thing that looks like a giant turkey buzzard and another one that looks like a giant saber-toothed tiger.

Then the motley crew hits a primordial jungle, where they encounter a black tribe. Its leader, Nakudu (Joel Virgel), whose ability to speak English is reasonably explained, sees D’Ley as the answer to his tribe’s own prophecy, so the invasion force gets that much bigger. Next comes a vast desert, where more tribes join the rebellion.

Strait makes a convincing hero as his youth, athleticism and earnestness stand in him in good stead. Belle does manage to suggest a bit more depth to her character as she is anything but a poor girl quietly acquiescing to her captivity. Curtis and Virgel are solid as aging tribal leaders looking to pass on their dearly purchased wisdom.

Of course, the imaginative creation of everything from the handmade wardrobes and crude weapons to makeshift housing and huge animals, all lensed in classic movie style by Ueli Steiger, makes the film a continual visual entertainment. Clearly, Emmerich’s crew borrows from everywhere — be it from old movies, various cultures or ancient cave paintings.

Omar Sharif intones an overly grave narration.

10,000 B.C. Warner Bros. Warner Bros. presents in association with Legendary Pictures a Centropolis production Credits: Director: Roland Emmerich Screenwriters: Roland Emmerich, Harald Kloser Producers: Michael Wimer, Roland Emmerich, Mark Gordon Executive producers: Harald Kloser, Sarah Bradshaw, Tom Karnowski, Thomas Tull, William Fay, Scott Mednick Director of photography: Ueli Steiger Production designer: Jean-Vincentn Puzos Music: Harald Kloser, Thomas Wander Co-producer: Ossie Von Richthofen Costume designers: Odile Dicks-Mireaux, Renee April Editor: Alexander Berner Cast: Evolet: Camilla Belle D’Leh: Steven Strait Tic Tic: Cliff Curtis Nakudu: Joel Virgel Warlord: Ben Badra Ka’ren: Mo Zinal Baku: Nathanael Baring Old Mother: Mona Hammond Narrator: Omar Sharif Running time — 108 minutes MPAA rating: PG-13

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10,000 b.c., common sense media reviewers.

Violent, poorly conceived prehistoric action.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Some racial/ethnic stereotyping seems to be at pla

Hunting scenes show tribesmen chasing, spearing, a

Repeated flirtations between D'Leh and Evolet

Parents need to know that this special effects-heavy action-adventure features lots of violent scenes that pit prehistoric tribesmen against large fierce animals and each other (sometimes in massive armies). Action scenes include hunts, chases, and fights; weapons include mallets, spears, nets, and huge knives …

Positive Messages

Some racial/ethnic stereotyping seems to be at play -- the mostly light-skinned Yagahl tribe members are noble victims, while the darker-skinned warlords are brutal and the darkest-skinned Naku (and similar tribes) are eager to be led into combat and salvation.

Violence & Scariness

Hunting scenes show tribesmen chasing, spearing, and throwing nets on mammoths. Humans also do battle with giant birds and show fear before a saber-toothed tiger. Fights among men include hitting, kicking, and weapons (mallets, spears, arrows, knives), sometimes resulting in bloody cuts and bruises. Loud, fast chase scenes; combat scenes involving massive armies. Brutal violence against slaves (they're dragged, shackled, tied up, whipped, bloodied, and thrown off of tall pyramids (body with broken back is visible). So-called "warlords" attack a village, killing innocents, burning huts, and taking prisoners. A young boy sees his mother killed (a knife through her back), and he cries. A boy is slapped hard and stepped on by a slavemaster. Key characters are mortally wounded, leaving their comrades very sad and sometimes vengeful.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Repeated flirtations between D'Leh and Evolet (as children and as adults); a warlord shows special interest in Evolet, finally approaching her with intent to "have" her. Evolet shows cleavage in some costumes.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this special effects-heavy action-adventure features lots of violent scenes that pit prehistoric tribesmen against large fierce animals and each other (sometimes in massive armies). Action scenes include hunts, chases, and fights; weapons include mallets, spears, nets, and huge knives (sometimes used to bloody effect). Several key characters are killed. There's also some minor cleavage and some questionable stereotyping. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

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Community Reviews

• Parents say (5)
• Kids say (14)

Based on 5 parent reviews

absurdly inaccurate historically

Nothing to shout about., what's the story.

10,000 B.C. begins amid the Yagahl tribe, with narrator Omar Sharif detailing the requisite legend (concerning a "child with blue eyes") and rough terrain. When a father leaves the tribe, his young son is taunted as the "son of a coward." The boy, D'Leh (who grows up to be played by Steven Strait ), takes solace from his mentor, Tic'Tic (Cliff Curtis), who trains him to hunt giant mammoths and encourages him to keep faith in himself. A band of ferocious warlords arrives on horseback, kidnapping the blue-eyed Evolet (Camilla Belle), object of D'Leh's affection. He leads a small group across snowy mountains, jungles, and a gigantic desert until they find the villains driving slaves to build pyramids in worship of a man they call "God" (Tim Barlow). D'Leh has to muster his courage and lead a huge army -- his own few followers plus legions of desert dwellers -- in order to defeat the warlords and free the slaves.

Is It Any Good?

With its average plot, nondescript heroes, and stereotypical villains, this is a movie between a rock and a hard place. Indebted to director Roland Emmerich 's own Stargate (1994), it offers little in the way of new ideas. While it's tedious enough that D'Leh is The One fated to free his people, he also turns out to be the savior for a large number of others. The other tribes are especially impressed that, fulfilling a longtime prophesy, D'Leh is "The one who speaks to the spear-tooth." (Yes, he literally speaks to an unconvincingly digitized saber-toothed tiger.)

Magical connection with felines notwithstanding, it's disconcerting that when light-skinned, movie-star handsome D'Leh arrives at the sandy site of his "destiny," he's surrounded by dark-skinned warriors who've apparently been waiting to be led to freedom and glory. Surely it's only coincidence that the sign of D'Leh's achievement is a White Spear. As if to emphasize this old-fashioned race dynamic, the villains -- especially the man who lusts after Evolet and his testy sidekick -- have large noses, dark skin, and terrible attitudes. That they must suffer mightily at the hands of the hero is no surprise; at least they don't have to witness the movie's utterly preposterous ending.

Kids looking for a fun movie with a prehistoric setting would be better served with Ice Age and its sequel .

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can discuss the film's accuracy. How much do we know about prehistoric life? How do you think the filmmakers decided on their version of the past? What parts do you think were sensationalized or fictionalized for impact? How could you find out more about the facts about this time in history if you wanted to? Families can also discuss whether they think the film plays on racial stereotypes. What parts of the movie might back up that theory? Does the movie rely on any other clichés? If so, what?

Movie Details

• In theaters : March 6, 2008
• On DVD or streaming : June 23, 2008
• Cast : Camilla Belle , Cliff Curtis , Omar Sharif
• Director : Roland Emmerich
• Inclusion Information : Latino actors, Polynesian/Pacific Islander actors
• Studio : Warner Bros.
• Genre : Action/Adventure
• Topics : Wild Animals
• Run time : 109 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG-13
• MPAA explanation : sequences of intense action and violence.
• Last updated : January 1, 2024

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10,000 BC Movie Review

Once upon a time Roland Emmerich made greasy popcorn entertainment that was buoyant and exciting ("Stargate," "Independence Day"). Ever since the epic failure of 1998's "Godzilla," Emmerich has been desperately trying to rekindle his old blockbuster flame, but the results have been lackluster at best ("The Day After Tomorrow"). "10,000 B.C." is a further step backward for the event movie prince, sending the audience to the mystical world of cavemen, yet offering little in the way of substance beyond the abundant special effects.

Strait ) finds his fate intertwined with Evolet (Camilla Belle), an orphan embraced by the elders who hope she will fulfill a great prophecy. When invaders attack D'Leh and his clan, they snatch Evolet and imprison her as a slave, starting a quest for D'Leh and a small pack of warriors traveling across treacherous terrain to get her back. During their dangerous journey, D'Leh befriends other tribes who want similar revenge on their oppressors, finding the relentless warrior fulfilling his own prophecy as a leader brought to the world to unite good and topple evil.

That's right, two prophecies. That's how hollow this screenplay is: they needed two ways to figure out how to take tedious characters and lend them a false sense of otherworldly intent.

"10,000 B.C." is not a cerebral journey of anthropological investigation; it's more a Saturday matinee thrill ride using prehistoric iconography to molest audience-pleasing explosions of action and chest-thumping drama. On the page, I'm sure the project looked amazing with grand displays of adventure and numerous openings for eye-popping visual effects; however, Emmerich's execution of the whole shebang is sleepy, and the screenwriting downright deplorable.

Stealing cues from "Apocalypto," "Braveheart," and his own "Stargate" (not to mention numerous other films), Emmerich has assembled a funky bouillabaisse of derivative material glued together by the CG sequences, which imagine a land populated with grazing mammoths, fierce saber-tooth tigers, and massive ostrich-like creatures that allow Emmerich a chance to rip-off the Velociraptor attack from "Jurassic Park." Admittedly, "B.C." is a gorgeous widescreen production, with sweeping vistas and towering scale. Emmerich knows how to go big, but his touch with human interaction is laughable, and "B.C." is his most emotionally distanced movie yet.

Thrust into this world by Omar Sharif's perplexing narration, "B.C." never gets off the ground. Emmerich is more enamored with selling the characters as action figures than human beings, breaking the critical bonds between them that supposedly motivate the entire movie. The worst offense is found between D'Leh and Evolet, who are offered to the screen as the destined, tragic lovers of the piece. The script doesn't give them much time to intertwine, and it's not long before they're separated, leaving D'Leh to do his Conan-lite routine and for Evolet to commence her…whatever she actually does in this movie. I'm not sure. I detected a lot of painful-color-contact blank stares and falling. Perhaps the "natural lady" caveman wig on Belle was too cumbersome. There's really no sense of community in the picture, just a filmmaker checking off disposable action beats from his creased, yellowed "to do" list as the production plods along aimlessly.

Without any tangible interest in the characters, "B.C." is reduced to a highlight reel of flavorless set-pieces. Trust me, if you've seen one mammoth stampede, you've seen them all. Emmerich has never been one to rely on the wizardry of nuance, but I was stunned to feel numb to nearly everything "B.C." offered, as if my mind immediately detected a filmmaker looking to brazenly cash in on his past successes. I miss the fun-loving Roland Emmerich, who once made stupid undeniably rousing. These days, he's just riding gimmicks and special effects and "10,000 B.C." is a culmination of every lazy impulse he's been harboring for years.

And if you missed the movie clips from “10,000 BC” you can watch them here .

Movie Review: 10,000 BC

10,000 BC begins with the promise of death and ends with life. In between, a young man has to learn to fulfill his destiny to save his people. This is definitely not a new concept, but it’s a well-told story all the same. In fact, it was refreshing to see a straightforward hero’s journey for a change amidst a sea of gimmicky films trying to escape what works at the most basic core of storytelling.

At a young age, D’Leh (Steven Strait) falls in love with a girl with blue eyes named Evolet (Camilla Belle) who was foretold in prophecy to bring life to their starving people. His journey from hunter to warrior is also foretold, and soon, a mysterious tribe comes and enslaves most of his brethren – including Evolet. He and a small band led by tribal elder Tic’Tic (Cliff Curtis) have to travel across the ancient earth to defeat the tribe and free their people.

This film is old-fashioned epic storytelling, complete with a narrator (the legendary Omar Sharif) and all the trappings that come along with magical realism. Wise men, omens, spirits, destiny, forgotten mystic cultures. Because of this, it asks a lot of its audience. There is nothing fancy going on – and that may bother some – but the characters are strong, flat archetypes of good and evil, and it follows the text book trials of the hero to a tee. It was this lack of fancy cinematic flash that was so appealing. You know who the good guy is. You know what he must do. And it’s great fun to see whether he can do it or not.

Plus, it’s filled with great action – a mammoth hunting scene, an attack from prehistoric birds that made me want to think twice about hitting KFC after the screening, and the final battle scene that involves a cast of thousands. All of this lands 10K somewhere between serious drama and popcorn flick, but not necessarily in a bad way. There are moments of genuine mourning, honest laughter and courage that work nicely because of good performances by Strait and Curtis. Plus, Camilla Belle’s Evolet is no damsel in distress.

There are a few missteps, though. The dialog seems intent on reaching beyond drama into cheese from time to time. Some poignant moments are ruined by an obvious statement, and the climax comes at almost too easy a price. Unfortunately, this film doesn’t elicit an automatically positive reaction. Some people are going to find its poetry moving, and others will roll their eyes. I happened to land on the good side of the fence, but I can understand why some might not land next to me.

I went in expecting a roller-coaster ride showcase of CGI, but 10k is a bit more weighty than that. It’s intense without being dark, fun and light without being goofy, sad but satisfying. To be blunt, it’s interesting but still very commercial. It’s definitely something to check out, especially on the big screen. The roar of a sabre-tooth and the stampede of mammoths just won’t be the same without it.

The Upside: No frills epic story with a little known, but strong cast.

The Downside: Like a curious child by the monkey cage, you keep telling the dialog to stay away from being cheesy, but it just keeps wanting to go back. Maybe it never makes it all the way there, but you can feel it shaking the bars and upsetting the primates.

On the Side: D’Leh backward is the German word (Held) for hero. Think that’s mildly clever? You’ll probably enjoy the movie. Think it’s stupid? You’ll probably be rolling your eyes a lot.

Movie Review: 10,000 B.C.

Who doesn’tlike historical epics? Costume dramas that give you an up-close-and-personallook at some musty but meaningful period when life was tough, but big thingswere happening?

Well, givedirector Roland Emmerich credit for attempting a new record in rewinding theclock. He’s dared to take us back to the last ice age, to follow the story of asmall band of our fur-fitted forebears as they mix it up with a non-stop paradeof bad guys. Indeed, the world these heroes occupy seems so riddled withmalevolence, you can understand the incentive somebody might have to flood theplace, and wash away the general pestilence.

“ 10,000 BC ” is one of those ever-popular,journey-to-manhood flicks. In this case an even-tempered stud named D’leh(Steven Strait) - the only guy in town with clean hair - tries to overcome abad rap: his long-gone Dad is accused of cowardice. That’s got to make it toughduring recess, but D’leh shows the schoolyard bullies that he’s got what ittakes by single-handedly bagging a wooly mammoth .This shaggy Pliocene protein seems to be the principal menu item for D’leh’stribe - which is odd, given that they live above the snow line in a range ofmountains that’s more forbidding than the Old Testament. What are mammoth herdsdoing up there, anyway? Even goats would have a tough time finding enough toeat.

Nevermind. D’lehbrings home the proboscidean bacon, and everything is looking good - or atleast as good as things can look in a society where you probably die at ayounger age than your pets - until some prophesied, four-legged demons, aeuphemism for hooligans on horseback, ride into town, ransack the hovels (isthere a reason to bother?), and then ride back out with our hero’s blue-eyedgirlfriend in tow. This ticks D’leh off, and shifts the movie into high gear.

Whatfollows is an epic quest for revenge, and the retrieval of Ms Blue-Eyes - sortof like Virgil’s Aeneid, but without the poetry. D’leh and his buddies passfrom mountains to jungles to sandy deserts as easily as you go fromTomorrowland to Frontierland by turning a Disneylandcorner . They pick up a few allies, confront a few nasty critters(saber-toothed tigers and - get this - carnivorous ostriches), and keepeveryone facing the screen wondering what misery will engulf these guys next.

Anachronismsare thicker than a hippo’s neck here, but it’s all good (if improbable) funthat eventually brings our heroes to the nexus of evil - a large-scaleconstruction project on the relentlessly sandy banks of some river. Well, notreally “some” river, because what the local residents are building - a coupleof giant pyramids, a row of smaller ones, a big ceremonial barque, and asphinx - I mean, do I have to spell it out for you?

Archaeologistswith both expertise and tenure tell us that the great pyramids of Giza wereconstructed around 2,500 BC. However, a few marginal authors and late-nightradio pundits claim they go back about 12,000 years. The chances that this istrue are about the same as the odds that a wormhole will open up in yourbedroom tonight, and whisk you off to the Large Magellanic Cloud for breakfastwith aliens. But in “10,000 BC,” you’ll be able to see this hypothesis writlarge on the special effects canvas. This sequence alone is so oddly imposing,it’s worth the price of admission.

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Oh, andthere’s something else to be gleaned from watching this ice-age epic. For thosewho still wonder how ancient peoples could pile up a million squared-off rocksto make Giza’s famous pointy architecture, Emmerich supplies the answer:domesticated wooly mammoths! That’s right; these tusky terrors may be onlysandwich fixings for D’leh, but whoever is building these pyramids has figuredout how to use them to cut the overhead on public works projects. Defanged andtamed, they slog up and down steep ramps, hauling blocks of limestone behind. One assumes that the ramps would soon be adequately, if unappealingly, greased.

Well, OK.It’s not really the history of the world, but 10,000 B C has eye candyand action. And now, when someone asks “did extraterrestrialsbuild the pyramids?” I can disabuse them of that nutty idea: “Don’t besilly. They were built by a bunch of non-union, wooly mammoths.” Works for me.

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10,000 BC Parent Guide

After the woman of his dreams (Camilla Belle) is kidnapped by a ruthless warlord, a young hunter (Steven Strait) sets out to get her back. But as he tracks his foe across the per-historic landscape he also uncovers some mysterious civilizations.

Release date March 6, 2008

Run Time: 109 minutes

Get Content Details

The guide to our grades, parent movie review by rod gustafson.

However, D’Leh’s fate suddenly changes during a food-foraging expedition when this least-likely-to-succeed young man single-handedly kills a mammoth. Even Old Mother (Mona Hammond), the Yagahl tribe’s prophetess, suspects the “son of a coward” may be the great hunter she has predicted will rise from their ranks, take Evolet as his companion and lead their people. Unfortunately, this happy change in D’Leh’s status occurs just in time for the return of the “four legged demons.” These marauders, who have learned the more-sophisticated art of riding on horseback, rampage through their camp and kidnap anyone they can get their ropes around—including Evolet.

After the dust settles, it is determined the newest Yagahl hunter will become the tribe’s first warrior. Given the coveted white spear, D’Leh sets off with wise Tic’Tic (Cliff Curtis) and young Nakudu (Joel Virgel) to try and find where Evolet and the rest of their people have been taken. Their journey will lead over great mountains and into lands and civilizations the trio never knew existed. Most notable amongst their beyond-imagination discoveries is a gang they meet in the midst of the desert who look like they just finished wrapping up a National Geographic documentary. Fortunately, both factions speak English and an alliance is born.

This road trip / rescue mission combo requires you to forget anything you have ever heard about prehistoric man and the supposed absence of extensive dental work available during the caveman era. Instead the experience is best described by comparing the movie to popular video games that allow you to form warring factions from diverse eras and enjoy the anachronisms.

Artistic failings aside, the greatest reason parents would want to prohibit their developing homo sapiens from seeing this film is the frequent violence. Thankfully, firearms haven’t made their way into this world, but death by beating, stoning, spearing and arrows (notice the developing technologies) are seen, along with some nasty depictions of impaling (some include blood). As well, some scenes depicting slavery show those in bondage being whipped and mistreated.

Older teens may find 10,000 B.C. entertaining, especially if viewed with a cynical eye. And one could argue the random period settings truly make this a timeless film—but in no way a classic.

About author

Rod Gustafson

10,000 bc rating & content info.

Why is 10,000 BC rated PG-13? 10,000 BC is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for sequences of intense action and violence.

10,000 B.C. is best approached with an attitude of not expecting anything factual. The story of a man who treks a great distance to rescue a girl offers many moments of peril and battle. While the violence usually isn’t graphic (and sometimes is obviously digitally simulated), there are frequent scenes of people being beaten and stoned, as well as impaled with arrows, knives and spears. Some blood effects are included. Other characters are seen in one-on-one combat, with necks being broken, characters pushed off high ledges and receiving other injuries. Scenes depicting many stampeding mammoths would presumably also result in serious injury, but these details are mostly viewed in grand vistas. Sexual content is limited to men fighting over who will get “the” woman, and she is seen in a cleavage-revealing dress.Male characters are shown in chest-bearing costumes.

Page last updated March 6, 2009

10,000 BC Parents' Guide

The most recent home video release of 10,000 bc movie is june 25, 2008. here are some details….

10,000 B.C. meets 2008 A.D. with these DVD releases. The single disc version delivers both full frame and widescreen presentations of the movie, as well as an extended ending and deleted scenes.

10,000 B.C. is also available in Blu-Ray Disc. In addition to the above-mentioned items, this edition includes A Wild and Wooly Ride (a behind-the scenes look at the process of re-constructing the per-historic setting, the animals and the pyramids), and Inspiring an Epic (how real history influenced story elements and the film’s design).

Canadian fans of the film will be offered an Exclusive 2-Disc Limited Edition DVD, boasting collectible "Steelbook" packaging with Sabertooth Tiger artwork. Along with the movie, this version provides a bonus disc featuring Prehistoric Predators , a 50 minute National Geographic special.

Related home video titles:

Stone-aged man also put in an appearance in the movies Ice Age and 2001: A Space Odyssey . Another man is forced to take on a heroic journey when a band of marauders attacks his town and kidnaps his wife In the Name of the King - A Dungeon Siege Tale .

Movie Review: 10,000 BC

Editors note: This review is a little late, and its entirely my fault as I accidently passed it while working at SXSW in Austin.

The Following is Documented Wiki Info: The 10th millennium BC marks the beginning of the Mesolithic, or Epipaleolithic period, which is the first part of the Holocene epoch.

[World population was likely below 5 million people, mostly hunting-gathering communities scattered over all continents, save for Antarctica, and with the proto-Lapita migration also reaching the islands of the Pacific. Pottery, and with pottery probably cooking, was developed independently in Japan and North Africa[citation needed]. It is likely that the earliest incidence of Agriculture, based on the cultivation of primitive forms of millet and rice, occurred in southeast Asia, around 10,000 BC. Agriculture also began to develop in the Armenian Highlands, and the Fertile Crescent, but would not be practiced widely or predominantly for another 2,000 years; however, figs of a parthenocarpic breed were found in the Gilgal I neolithic village in the Jordan River valley. The Würm glaciation ended, and the beginning interglacial, which endures to this day, allows the re-settlement of northern regions.]

That is the REAL 10,000 BC. The actuality and realism of the film is fictitiously hilarious and now that I've seen it, I believe it is just, and only, a special effects extravaganza. I cannot stress enough how all over the place this movie was, and that I was entertained primarily on the notion that this was a ridiculous film. Get ready readers, this may be one of the only pseudo bad reviews I give for a flick, and I will stress that while I did not hate this movie, I by no means loved it. I'm madly in like with this movie. I liked it okay. It's the best way I can describe it, almost like the way you enjoy Daredevil, "It's so bad, you can't keep your eyes away."

So there is a tribe. This tribe of hunters and gatherers are led by a woman who is the "Mother" of the tribe and has not just "I'm a witchdoctor" powers, but full blown psychic ability. The tribe is living at the top of a snowy mountain surrounded by such a beautiful and majestic view of clouds, you wonder how they could live at such an unbreathable elevation and that they would have died off that way anyhow. The beginning shows our hero Steven Strait, who is only a child. His father has created the ruse of leaving the tribe, but it was for a good cause which he keeps secret and still by the end of the movie I never understood completely why. There is a prophesy that a blue eyed girl would come and be the "Woman" of the hero of the tribe. When they get "All growned up" (Sorry, I'm in Nashville), the young blue eyed girl is the Super Hot Camilla Belle and there is a long overdo hunt about to begin. Needless to say the tribe of hunters in the same vein of Dances with Wolves attacks a bunch of fairly well done wooly mammoths.

Now see if you can keep up. I'm not joking, this is how Clusterfucked this film was...With stunning visuals. I'm giving the gist right now.

One night the village is attacked by four legged demons, (Viking looking men on Horses), they capture most of the villagers and take off. So Strait and two guys go after their people to rescue them. Yes, three naked hunters against, fully armed men on horseback. At the base of their snowy mountains they enter a steaming hot jungle in hot pursuit. Now even though I forgot to mention that the tribe is made up of pretty white people with dreads, Native Americans, and I believe, Eskimos, it all seemed like a puzzle that came with pieces that never intended to match. It was all very odd, because their captors are Egyptian Viking types. Egyptians are a more Middle Eastern looking and Vikings are giant Scandinavian blonds....So they combined the two. Now entering the jungle, this is where they are attacked ala Jurassic Park by man eating ostriches that look, sound, and attack like Raptors.

After this, it is the point where they hit the desert, and make allies with basically the whole of the Zulu nation, who agree to help them because the Vikings hit them too. Now is the confusing part. They secretly arrive at the pyramids that are being built by Africans and wooly mammoths. There is no Pharaoh, but a living god that they do not delve into enough to make him a substantial character. So they try to incite a revolt among the slaves, and take on Egypt.

See I'm getting confused now just trying to explain. They went from the snowy mountains, to the hot jungle, to the desert, and finally to the pyramids in that order. Which by the way, were not put together with wooly mammoths as beasts of burden, I think it was Jewish slaves, right?

Now without giving away anymore story I would like to say, it was a very attractive movie and the effects were extremely decent. Strait and Belle are both pretty little Hollywood newbies and did a good job with their longing looks and batting their pretty eyes. Also for your convenience, apparently 12,000 years ago, everyone still spoke proper English. I give it a 5/10, just for the effects and popcorn value of a throwaway movie. In a nutshell, if you can understand titling this movie "The Jurassic Apocalypto Pathfinder the Day after Tomorrow" You'd understand completely and not need to see it. However if you have a rainy Saturday going down and you feel like a matinee, do it up. Hunter (The writer, not the guy in the flick) may need to smoke a little something something before hand, but I believe everyone who sees this may need to inebriate themselves in order to actually get the depth, like Vietnam. "You weren't there man! Those hairy elephants were crazy!!"

I think it takes genius behind the scenes to put together a movie this epically beautiful. But I believe strongly as a writer and a reviewer that a well written script is important along with a wonderful director with vision, great production and a stunning visual team. A poorly written script with top fucking notch effects and promotion shouldn't be the bar we set to make bank on a film weekend to weekend. It needs to be the few and far between dirty rocks we clean off, and realize they are actually diamonds we were never expecting to come across.

Discuss: Does a movie need to be pretty and entertaining to matter, or have depth? We do not often get all the elements put together.

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California has a multibillion-dollar budget deficit. Here’s what you need to know

California Gov. Gavin Newsom answers a reporter’s question about his revised 2024-25 state budget during a news conference in Sacramento, Calif., Friday, May 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, left, listens as Finance Director Joe Stephenshaw, right, answers a reporte’rs concerning Newsom’s revised 2024-25 state budget during a news conference in Sacramento, Calif., Friday, May 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

California Gov. Gavin Newsom answers a reporters question about his revised 2024-25 state budget during a news conference in Sacramento, Calif., Friday, May 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

California Gov. Gavin Newsom discusses some of the ways that have been used to reduce the state’s budget deficit in his revised 2024-25 state budget unveiled during a news conference in Sacramento, Calif., Friday, May 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

California Gov. Gavin Newsom unveils his revised 2024-25 state budget during a news conference in Sacramento, Calif., Friday, May 10, 2024. Newsom said the state’s budget deficit has grown by $7 billion. In January, Newsom said the deficit was nearly $38 billion. However, in March Newsom and lawmakers agreed on some actions to reduce that deficit by $17.3 billion. Now, Newsom says the remaining deficit is $27.6 billion (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California has a huge budget problem that could force thorny decisions from Democratic leaders who enjoyed a more than $100 billion surplus just three years ago.

This is the second year in a row the nation’s most populous state is facing a multibillion-dollar shortfall. State revenues have continued to fall amid increasing inflation and a slowdown in the state’s usually robust technology industry.

Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday announced his plan to address the deficit in the state’s budget. The release of his plan kicks off a budget negotiation marathon with Democratic lawmakers, who hold supermajorities in both chambers.

Newsom and lawmakers have until June 15 to pass a budget, or lawmakers don’t get paid.

HOW BIG IS THE BUDGET?

Newsom proposed a $288 billion spending plan on Friday for the fiscal year that starts July 1. That is well below the nearly $311 billion budget he signed into law last year. But it is still by far the largest of any state in the country. New York recently passed a $237 billion budget, and Texas and Florida spend far less annually.

WHAT ABOUT THE DEFICIT?

It’s complicated. Newsom announced on Friday a $26.7 billion deficit , but it’s really closer to $45 billion. That’s because Newsom didn’t include roughly $17.3 billion worth of actions he and lawmakers already agreed on. Those included a cut of $3.6 billion in primarily one-time funding to some school, welfare and climate programs. The plan also delays and defers about $5.2 billion in spending for various programs, including $1 billion to fund rail and public transit systems.

WHY DOES THE DEFICIT MATTER?

California’s constitution requires lawmakers and the governor to balance the budget — meaning the state can’t spend more money than it has. That means they have to either find more money by raising taxes, which Newsom doesn’t want to do, or find ways to cut, shift or delay spending. Newsom’s proposal focuses mostly on cuts, but it will also dip into reserve funding.

WHAT ARE THOSE CUTS?

Newsom proposed cuts across 260 state programs. Here are some of the highlights:

1. Eliminating 10,000 vacant state worker jobs for a saving of $762 million. Newsom didn’t immediately provide a list of all the jobs.

2. Clawing back $6.7 billion previously set aside to pay doctors more to see poor patients and immigrants.

3. Shaving off nearly 8% in operating costs to almost all state agencies through actions like getting rid of landlines in state offices and evaluating printing needs.

4. Cutting $2 billion from broadband initiatives to pursue cheaper options

5. Closing housing units with 4,600 beds across 13 state prisons to save $81 million.

6. Reducing funding for homelessness and housing initiatives by nearly $1.2 billion, including $474 million from an anti-foreclosure program to preserve existing affordable housing.

7. Reducing $500 million in water storage funding. He didn’t offer specifics on how that would be applied.

8. Shutting down an in-home service care program that serves 14,000 low-income, undocumented immigrants with disabilities for a savings of $94.7 million

9. Cutting roughly $2 billion from six education programs, including $550 million from an initiative to upgrade preschool and kindergarten facilities and $510 million in scholarships for middle class college students pursuing a teaching credential.

10. Eliminating $352.5 million in funding for state and local public health and $189.4 million from mental health services fund.

HOW ABOUT TAX INCREASES?

Newsom has repeatedly said he could balance the budget without raising taxes. But his proposal calls for the suspension of the widely used net operating loss tax deduction for businesses the following fiscal year, which some are seeing as a tax increase.

He is also increasing the tax on managed care organizations, the private companies that contract with the state to provide Medicaid benefits.